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Stephanie dreamt that while she was lying next to Philip in his hospital room, he flatlined. Philip woke her up from her nightmare, and she made him promise he would never leave her. Philip refused to tell Stephanie what his next move was, but he said he couldn't run away to Greece with her. Stephanie got frustrated with Philip, saying he was always going to do what he wanted to do, no matter what. Stephanie told Philip she loved him, but said she couldn't live like that. Then she ran out of the room, and Philip tried to run after her.

Kate confronted Daniel about his affair with Chloe, and Daniel wondered what Kate planned to do with that information. Daniel assured Kate that his affair was over, but he figured Kate knew that all along. When Kate tried to denigrate Chloe, Daniel reminded her that Chloe donated her bone marrow to Kate.

Kate assumed Chloe donated her marrow to get on Kate's good side, but Daniel stood up for Chloe, he reminded Kate that the only thing Chloe did to Lucas was to keep Lucas from finding out the truth.

Daniel described Kate as a selfish person, compared to Chloe, who tried to do what was best. Kate said Chloe lied to her son, while Daniel said Chloe gave in to temptation, but she hated herself for it. Daniel warned Kate not to seek revenge on Chloe, but to seek revenge on him instead. He said if Kate went after Chloe, Daniel would make Kate regret it. That's when Kate realized Daniel was still in love with Chloe.

Kate thought Daniel was uncomfortable with the knowledge that Kate knew about Daniel's affair, and he said he was just uncomfortable knowing she might do something stupid like hurt Chloe. Kate brought up how Chloe hurt Lucas, but Daniel pointed out that Lucas didn't get hurt, because Lucas and Chloe were together and Lucas was happy. Daniel warned Kate that if Chloe got hurt, Lucas would get hurt.

Chloe talked to the priest in the park about lies and she felt it was okay for wives to keep some things from their husbands. Lucas overheard their conversation, and when the priest said he couldn't answer whether he agreed with wives keeping secrets from their husbands, Lucas appeared and said he wanted to know the answer to that dilemma, too.

Lucas assumed Chloe was referring to Nicole keeping secrets from E.J., and he wanted to know the priest's take on secrets. Instead, the priest asked Chloe whether she told Lucas that he would be willing to officiate their wedding if they decided to get married in the church. Lucas liked the idea, since his mother wanted to see them get married in a church, but judging by Chloe's lukewarm response, he wasn't so sure that was what Chloe wanted.

Chloe said she just wanted to talk about it first, and they said goodbye to the priest. Chloe didn't see the point of having another ceremony, since they were already married and she was happy the way they were, but Lucas wondered if she really was happy. Chloe insisted she was happy, and Lucas worried about how the last time she seemed happy, she broke off their engagement.

At the Java Café, Sami overheard Rafe telling Arianna that he loved her and no one would ever replace her in his heart. After Arianna left, Sami confronted him. She felt like a fool for trusting him, and accused him of being hypocritical for questioning Sami's feelings for E.J. As Sami rambled on, Rafe tried to explain, but she wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise.

Sami asked if Rafe met Arianna when he left Sami's place, and he said he'd known Arianna forever. She asked if Rafe told Arianna about Sami, and Rafe said he did tell Arianna about Sami, and Arianna had some reservations about Sami and blamed her for Rafe losing his job. Sami got angry, and Rafe explained that his sister was protective of him when it came to women. Sami realized what he said and calmed down.

Sami told him he could have told her that Arianna was his sister when she first sat down. He said he'd tried to, but she wouldn't let him say anything. Sami wondered why he didn't mention his sister during their time in protective custody, and he said he and his sister had a falling out and it hurt to talk about it. It didn't look like there were any problems with Rafe and Arianna's relationship, Sami pointed out. He said that was because they had been up all night talking.

Sami was happy that Rafe had someone to talk to, and she told him he was a jerk for listening to anything that E.J. had to say. Sami explained that her feelings were justified, because she and E.J. had kids together, and that Rafe couldn't understand, because he didn't have children of his own.

Rafe said it wasn't about the kids, and he asked her if while she was at E.J.'s wedding, Sami wished she could take Nicole's place. Sami said yes, and Rafe tried to leave, but Sami asked him to hear her out. Sami said it was because she wished she could give her kids the experience of having two parents who loved each other, and she realized what a fantasy that was, and she saw E.J. for who he really was. She didn't want her past to ruin her future, though.

Sami said she didn't want to mess up her relationship with Rafe. Sami couldn't bring herself to hate E.J., despite what he did, because he tried to be a good father. Sami said she decided to try to see the best in E.J. for Johnny's sake but she would never be through with him. She assumed that Rafe would leave her after hearing that, but Rafe said he'd be crazy to leave someone as wonderful as Sami. Sami said her relationship with Rafe wasn't a rebound relationship. Then Rafe pledged to be in Grace's life as her godfather no matter what.

When Max stopped by Chelsea's apartment, she was packing to leave town. She explained that her mother was facing a long recovery from her accident and Chelsea planned to go to London to take care of her. Max said he wasn't upset about her leaving to take care of her mother, and Chelsea was relieved that he was okay with it. Then Max offered to go with her.

Chelsea didn't feel comfortable letting Max go with her, because he might get into med school. Max said he was willing to postpone med school if he got accepted. Chelsea asked about his sister, Melanie, but he wasn't going to stay behind to watch over Melanie when she didn't even listen to his advice.

Chelsea thought she would be too busy taking care of Billie, and Max wouldn't have anything familiar around him. She said she wouldn't feel right if they broke up after trying to explore a relationship in London, far away from their normal life in Salem, but Max didn't understand her logic. When Max realized that her mind was made up, he started to go to his car to get her books and CDs and give them back to her.

Chelsea said she had to go to the hospital, and she asked Max to wait for her, but he said he had to work. Chelsea realized that it was the last time they would see each other. Stephanie got back to her and Chelsea's apartment, and Max told her that Chelsea was leaving right away to take care of Billie, and would be gone for months. Stephanie got frustrated and threw her purse. Stephanie said she understood Chelsea's reason for leaving, and she apologized for being selfish.

Max asked what had happened at the hospital, and Stephanie said it was because she wanted to go with Philip to Greece to keep him safe. Max pointed out that Stephanie could go to Greece on her own.

Kate asked Philip what Stephanie did to make him chase after her, and Philip said Stephanie didn't do anything. Kate wasn't satisfied with that answer, so she planned to talk to Stephanie herself, but Philip ordered her not to. Philip asked Daniel to make sure Kate stayed away from Stephanie. Philip talked to Billie on the phone when Chelsea came to see him, looking for Stephanie, but Philip didn't know where Stephanie was or when she'd be back.

At the Brady Pub, Chloe annoyed Arianna with her lunch order, and when they were alone, Lucas told Chloe he had been keeping things from her. She wondered if he was referring to Sami, since things always seemed to be about her, but Lucas said it wasn't about Sami. Chloe said since they had little time to be together, they might as well focus on themselves.

When Chelsea got back from the hospital, Max wasn't upset at Chelsea anymore, and he apologized for not being a good boyfriend or friend. Max promised to wait for Chelsea to return to Salem, but she didn't think it was fair to ask him to wait. Even still, Max planned to wait for her.

Stephanie returned to Philip's hospital room, and she said while she didn't like living the way they were, it was better than living without him. She told him she loved him. The nurse walked in while Stephanie was cuddled up to Philip, kissing him. She kicked Stephanie out, saying Philip needed his rest. After Stephanie left, Philip asked the nurse what drug she was administering to his IV, and she explained that it was a stronger antibiotic.

Philip realized something wasn't right, based on what Daniel had told him earlier, and when he tried to say something, the nurse grabbed the call button and held it away from Philip. Philip immediately fell asleep, and the nurse grabbed a pillow and tried to smother him to death.

Kate told Daniel that she was going to tell him earlier that as long as things were over between him and Chloe, Kate planned to let them off the hook. But, she said, that was before Daniel attacked her and denigrated Lucas. She said after Philip's shooting, Kate lost her appetite for revenge, and she warned Daniel not to let it happen again. Daniel pointed out that Chloe was doing everything she could to keep Lucas happy, and Kate was alive because of Chloe. He said Chloe was better than both of them.

In the park, Chloe left Daniel a message on his cell phone, saying she was returning his phone call. After they hung up, Kate walked up and asked if she was talking to Daniel. Kate explained that Daniel was in surgery, so his phone was turned off. Kate said she was just talking to Daniel about how much Kate owed him for what Daniel did for Kate's family, but Kate said she didn't owe Chloe anything for Chloe donating her bone marrow to Kate.

In Stephanie and Chelsea's apartment, Chelsea was sitting on the couch weeping when Stephanie came home. Chelsea admitted that after running around for two days making plans to visit her mother in London that she was finally having an emotional breakdown. Stephanie comforted Chelsea as Chelsea worried aloud about the possibility of leaving her friends and family behind in Salem indefinitely.

At Salem Hospital, Hope asked Melanie how Philip was doing. When Melanie started to complain about the new nurse that was in Philip's room, Hope became agitated. Melanie confirmed that she had never seen the nurse before, and Hope pulled out her gun and ran to Philip's room.

In Philip's hospital room, the nurse injected his I.V. with a syringe full of liquid. Philip began to protest, but he became drowsy and passed out. As the nurse attempted to smother Philip with a pillow, Hope burst into the room and ordered the nurse to back away from Philip. Despite the fact that the nurse was holding a pillow on top of Philip's face, she argued that she was not hurting her patient as security dragged her out of the room.

Melanie checked on Philip and determined that he was not breathing. Hope called out for help, and Melanie began CPR. As Melanie breathed into Philip's mouth, he regained consciousness and joked, "You enjoying yourself? Any excuse to kiss me right?" Relieved, Melanie backed away from Philip and laughed nervously. Dr. Baker ran into the room and checked on Philip's vital signs, and Melanie called Stephanie to tell her about the attempt on Philip's life.

After a brief investigation, Hope returned to inform Philip how the assailant had gained admittance to the hospital room. Philip seemed unconcerned with Hope's findings and noted that he did not need to hear the results of her investigation because he already knew that the DiMera family was to blame. Hope restricted Philip's visitor list and left to finish her police report.

After Hope left, Philip attempted to get out of bed, but Melanie intercepted him at the door just as he started to collapse. Melanie helped Philip back to bed. The two were tangled up on the bed as Stephanie walked in. Melanie apologized for the scene, but Stephanie told Melanie that she believed that Melanie was only helping Philip, and thanked her.

Philip was upset that Melanie told Stephanie about the attack, but Stephanie reminded him that since she was a witness at his shooting that she did not need his protection. "I feel helpless. It's driving me crazy," Philip lamented. Stephanie blamed herself for not being at his side when the assailant attacked him in his hospital room, but Philip urged her to purge her guilt. "No more guilt. Not unless..." Stephanie wondered aloud. As Stephanie ran out of the room, she ordered Philip to stay in bed.

Philip sat in bed frustrated once Stephanie ran out. When Melanie came by to check on Philip's condition, he confided that his only goal was to get out of the hospital and "do what needs to be done."

In the hospital hallway, Chelsea thanked Hope for helping Philip. Hope informed Chelsea that although the nurse was not talking, they did have a lead on the case. Hope cheerfully told Chelsea that Bo had headed to Chicago to follow up on the forensics report for a payment envelope they found on the assassin. Upset, Chelsea told Hope that she was worried she would not see Bo before she left for London later that day.

Beaming, Hope told Chelsea how happy she was that the young woman was going to take care of Billie. Chelsea thanked Hope for loving her and repeatedly forgiving her. "I would never be the person I am today if it hadn't been for you and all your help," Chelsea said, smiling through tears. "I'm so proud of the person you grew to be, "Hope whispered. "You're my daughter. You know that," Hope said as she hugged Chelsea tightly.

At the DiMera mansion, Nicole overheard E.J. talking to someone on the phone about Dr. Baker's gambling debts. Worried, Nicole inquired about the phone call. E.J. tried to dismiss the topic by noting that the information was just business, but Nicole pushed E.J. for details. When E.J. continued to stonewall Nicole, she grabbed the papers off of his desk and looked over the information about Dr. Baker.

E.J. admitted that Stefano had started the investigation into Dr. Baker and that he was just following up on the information that came in after his father had left town. Nicole pushed E.J. to drop the investigation. When E.J. appeared to become suspicious, Nicole backed off and played it cool. E.J. explained that he would drop the investigation until Stefano came back, at which point Stefano would decide whether to pursue the investigation any further.

Nicole went upstairs to feed Sydney and E.J. stayed in the living room pacing. "Why are you so determined to stop this investigation into Dr. Baker?" E.J. wondered aloud.

After getting Sydney in her stroller, Nicole called Dr. Baker and ordered him to meet her at the Java Café. Dr. Baker reluctantly agreed to meet her there, and once he did, she pretended that the meeting was a chance encounter. Nicole whispered to Dr. Baker that she needed to pretend they ran into one another because her bodyguard was watching her and reporting back to E.J. Nicole explained that Stefano was investigating Dr. Baker's gambling debts, and she warned him to leave town.

Dr. Baker seemed unnerved by the news, but he deduced that Nicole's warning was intended to protect her interests and not his. Nicole protested his accusation, but reminded him that they both had a lot to lose. Sighing, Dr. Baker said that there was no way to disappear in the modern age, and that if Stefano wanted to find him, he could. Still worried, Nicole begged Dr. Baker to think about the possibility of running into Sami and her figuring out that the babies were switched. Dr. Baker firmly denied Nicole's pleas to leave town and cautioned her to "keep E.J. from the truth, because if he finds out about me, he finds out about you."

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. received a phone call from his hired assassin Masi. When E.J. learned that Masi had proceeded with the hit on Philip after E.J. had specifically told him not to, he began to lose control and scream. As E.J. threw his cell phone down on the table in a fury, the doorbell rang. E.J. regained his composure and answered the door.

Stephanie stood on the doorstep of the DiMera mansion with angry tears in her eyes. "It stops now! Do you hear me?" Stephanie screamed. E.J. pretended not to understand what Stephanie was referring to, but she was unfazed. Stephanie begged E.J. to stop sending people to kill Philip, and cautioned him that revenge would only lead to more revenge. E.J. sternly asked Stephanie to leave, and, shaking her head, she ran out the front door.

Worried, E.J. called Stefano's voicemail and urged him to return his calls. E.J. left a message noting that "delivery of our package failed." Once off the phone, E.J. picked up Tony's framed photograph and stared at it.

Down at the pier, Kate lashed out at Chloe. Confused by Kate's venomous tone, Chloe stammered, "I've never seen you like this." When Chloe continued to act confused, Kate narrowed her eyes and said, "Your best quality is lying convincingly." "Oh my, God! Are you serious? Either you tell me what it is you're talking about or I am out of here," Chloe countered.

"I'm talking about your affair with Daniel," Kate screamed into Chloe's face. Stunned, Chloe stepped back and stood there in silence as Kate recounted how she had seen the two of them kissing. Chloe protested that she had always loved Lucas, but Kate told her that she did not believe Chloe meant it. Still furious, Kate admitted that she was not going to tell Lucas about the affair in order to protect his happiness and keep him from falling off the wagon again. Kate added that she wanted to see as little as possible of Chloe, and fired her from the television show.

Lucas overheard his mother fire Chloe when he walked onto the pier, and he protested. Chloe explained that she did not want to be the host, and Kate added that the screen test showed that Chloe was horrible on camera. Lucas did not believe either woman's story, and pushed them for the truth. Kate explained that Chloe lacked talent and work ethic, and Chloe agreed that she had not fully committed herself to the show.

Lucas remained suspicious after Kate walked away, but Chloe attempted to convince him that it was a good thing. After Chloe talked about being able to spend more time with Allie and Lucas, he admitted that it was for the best. Relieved, Chloe headed home while Lucas stayed on the pier. Once Chloe was out of earshot, Lucas called Kate and asked her for the real reason that she had fired Chloe.

At the hospital, Victor angrily reprimanded the guard outside Philip's room, and ordered that security be doubled. Victor then informed Philip that he hadn't been able to prove that the nurse who'd tried to kill Philip was working for the DiMeras. Philip wasn't surprised. Both men vowed that the DiMeras had to pay.

When Brady dropped by, he demanded to know when the violence between the families was going to end. Victor responded with angry sarcasm, but before the argument escalated further, Philip interceded. Victor apologized to Brady, but Brady maintained that he had a right to know what the two of them had planned. Victor ordered him to stay out of it, and they exchanged more heated words. Finally, an exasperated Brady turned to leave, but first urged Victor and Philip to reconsider their plan for revenge.

At the airport, Max waited with Chelsea, who was anxious that her dad wouldn't arrive to say goodbye before her flight left. She was relieved when Bo finally showed up, and hugged him gratefully. Max made himself scarce while Chelsea and Bo said their goodbyes.

Bo tried to reassure Chelsea that Billie would be fine, because she was a fighter. Chelsea admitted that although she knew she was doing the right thing, she would miss everyone. Bo stated warmly that he was proud of Chelsea. She thanked her dad for sticking around through her "pain in the butt" years, but Bo cut her off.

Taking her face in his hands, Bo declared, "You're my daughter. You're a part of me; you're a part of my heart. You always will be. I love you." Chelsea whispered, "I love you," and they embraced again.

Max returned after Bo had gone. He was optimistic that Chelsea would be home soon, but she cautioned him that her mom's recovery would probably take a while. He admitted that he didn't want Chelsea to go, although he knew she had to. "How can I say goodbye to you?" Max asked sadly.

When they heard the final boarding call for her flight, Chelsea fought back tears. Max reluctantly urged Chelsea to go, but made her promise to take care of herself while she was taking care of her mom. They kissed, and then shared one final, tearful hug before Chelsea pulled away and headed down the ramp.

Bo met Brady on the pier. Brady cautioned Bo that Victor and Philip seemed to be intent on taking matters into their own hands. Bo assured Brady that he'd take care of it.

Bo then went to the hospital. Though Victor and Philip were doubtful, Bo vowed that the police would find whoever was behind the attempts on Philip's life. Victor sardonically asked if Bo had been talking to Brady. Bo calmly advised Philip and Victor to stop whatever they had planned, and let the police handle it. Victor asked if Bo would abide by the law if it were Hope or Ciara. Ignoring the question, Bo firmly replied, "You go out on your own, I can't protect you."

When Victor stepped into the hall to take a phone call, Bo tried to reason with his brother. Philip refused to listen. Bo gave up, but emphasized, "When it comes to police matters, I'm the commissioner, not your brother."

As Nicole sat at the Java Café, she noticed with dismay that Dr. Baker had left his keys on the table. When Sami and Rafe entered, they didn't spot Nicole, and went straight to the counter. While they waited in line, Rafe and Sami teased each other about whose fault it was that they almost hadn't gotten together.

Nicole then approached them, making snide remarks about what a perfect couple Rafe and Sami were, since they were both liars and schemers. Rafe and Sami refused to let Nicole spoil their happy mood, and cheerfully told her to get lost.

Sami left Rafe in line, and headed to get a table for the two of them. Spotting little Sydney in her stroller, Sami got permission from Nicole's bodyguard to say hi to the tot. She then observed that Sydney seemed miserable, and began unbuckling the child from the stroller.

Meanwhile, Nicole confronted Rafe, accusing him of spying on her for Sami when he posed as a cable repairman to enter the DiMera mansion. Rafe asserted that he'd done it on his own, not for Sami, but refused to divulge anything further. Nicole suddenly noticed that Sami was holding Sydney, and charged over to take the child from her. Sami tried to explain, but Nicole angrily reprimanded Sami and the bodyguard, and then turned back to Sami. "You stay away from my daughter. You stay out of my life!" she hissed.

Nicole then spotted Dr. Baker outside. Panicked, she created a loud distraction so that Sami wouldn't see the doctor as he walked in the door. When the "crisis" was over, Nicole abruptly declared to her bodyguard that it was time to go.

Rafe, who had witnessed Nicole's outburst, returned with coffees for him and Sami. As they watched Nicole leave, Sami bemoaned how intertwined her life and Nicole's had become. Rafe admitted that he finally understood why Sami didn't want her kids to be around Nicole.

Once Johnny and Allie had arrived, Rafe did some magic tricks for them. When Arianna showed up, Rafe was pleasantly surprised, and explained to his sister that he and Sami were taking the twins to the county fair. He introduced Sami and Arianna, who replied that she'd heard a lot about Sami around the pub. Sami was a bit taken aback. Arianna insisted that it had mostly been complimentary, and praised the twins for being so well behaved.

Arianna then pulled Rafe aside. "You cannot be with that woman," she asserted accusingly. "Are you out of your mind?"

As they were leaving later, Rafe asked Sami if she'd like to go out on a real date soon. She eagerly agreed, and asked where he planned to take her. "Oh, just the most romantic place that I know," he replied with a smile.

Nicole "accidentally" ran into Dr. Baker in the park. With the bodyguard just out of earshot, Nicole smiled as she returned the doctor's keys, but whispered, "That was way too close before, Baker; Sami almost saw you." Dr. Baker advised her to keep her cool before someone noticed that she was behaving like "a lunatic." Nicole was worried that although they were the only ones who knew the truth about the baby switch, others who knew parts of the story might put the pieces together and figure it out.

Dr. Baker reiterated his refusal to leave town. He asserted that as long as they both kept their mouths shut, they had nothing to worry about. Nicole quietly warned him that Stefano would likely renew his investigation into Baker soon, and would then learn all about his baby brokering side business. "Like I said before, if they find out about me, they find out about you," Dr. Baker replied. "So it's your job to stop this investigation."

Nicole was clearly still apprehensive, but Dr. Baker urged her not to make a bigger deal out of it than it was. As Dr. Baker left, Nicole declared to herself that she would never let anyone take Sydney away. "And if Dr. Baker won't help me tie up loose ends, then I will take care of this myself."

Victor showed up at the hospital with his henchmen to pick Philip up and take him home. Philip was eager to leave, and Victor told him stage one of their plan was almost complete. Later, Stephanie welcomed Philip home, and when Victor walked in the room, he asked her to leave so he and Philip could discuss business. Stephanie wasn't about to leave while they talked about killing people.

Victor was outraged at Stephanie's reaction, so when Victor lashed out at her Philip told him to back down. Philip asked her to give him time alone with Victor. Once she left the room, Philip reminded him that Stephanie found him after he'd been shot and Stephanie almost got shot, so Victor needed to cut her a break. Victor said phase one of their plan was complete.

Philip said it was time for him to strike, but Victor wanted to wait until phase two was completely prepared. When Stephanie returned and Victor left the mansion, she asked how their conversation had gone. Philip assumed she eavesdropped, but she said she wouldn't do that. Philip apologized and said he trusted her completely. They started to kiss, and as Stephanie unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his bandages, she flashed back to when Philip was shot, so she stopped.

Philip wondered what was wrong, and Stephanie apologized for arguing with Victor. Philip thought Victor respected Stephanie for standing up to him, but she felt Victor treated her like she was too fragile or dumb to understand anything, and that Philip felt the same way about her. She asked how Philip would feel if she kept something from him. Philip asked if she was keeping something from him, so she said she was keeping a secret. She said she confronted E.J. at the Dimera mansion.

Philip told Stephanie never to confront E.J. like that again, but she didn't see the big deal, since Philip had done it before and she did it for a different reason. Philip said the reason was irrelevant. He was worried that Stephanie might have made herself a target. Stephanie said whatever was going on, they were in it together.

At Sami's place, Mia was helping Will babysit Grace, and Sami got dressed up for her date with Rafe. Will and Mia took Grace to the Java Café, and Sami second-guessed herself over her choice of wardrobe. When Rafe arrived, he was dressed in jeans and a leather jacket. Sami wondered where they were going since he said they were going somewhere romantic. She wanted to change, but he said she was fine dressed the way she was.

E.J. called Dr. Baker and invited him to the DiMera mansion. Nicole overheard E.J. and accused him of lying to her for saying he would call off the investigation into Dr. Baker's past until Stefano came home, but E.J. said he didn't know when his father would be home, because Stefano was missing. E.J. said Stefano's cell phone was off, and it wasn't normal for Stefano not to contact him, especially given the ongoing situation.

Nicole assumed the Kiriakises were behind it if something happened to Stefano, but E.J. didn't want to think that anything happened to Stefano. E.J. suspected Dr. Baker might be responsible for Stefano's disappearance because he seemed like he would be easily turned by the Kiriakis family, and E.J. planned to grill Dr. Baker until E.J. knew everything there was to know about him.

Nicole answered the door when Dr. Baker arrived, and E.J. asked for some privacy so the men could talk in private. Dr. Baker wondered what E.J. wanted, and E.J. said it was about Dr. Baker not being who he said he was. Dr. Baker said he didn't know what Nicole told E.J., and E.J. told him she didn't say anything - Stefano investigated him. E.J. thought it odd that Dr. Baker came to the mansion so many times, and he thought it was unusual that Stefano disappeared while looking into Dr. Baker's past.

Dr. Baker said he had nothing to do with Stefano's disappearance, but he knew who might be responsible. Nicole overheard their conversation and interrupted, but E.J. asked her to leave the room. Dr. Baker pointed the finger at the Kiriakis family, and E.J. asked how well Dr. Baker knew them. Dr. Baker said he only knew what he read in the paper. E.J. got a call from Victor, demanding E.J. meet him on the pier, so E.J. said he had to leave, but he told Dr. Baker to wait for him.

After E.J. left, Nicole laid into Dr. Baker. He tried to calm her down, and he said working for the DiMeras might give him a chance to clear his debts. Nicole thought it was a bad idea, because the DiMeras would find out the truth, and when that happened, Dr. Baker would end up dead. Nicole asked him to follow her so she could give him money to pay off his debts.

As they walked up the stairs, Dr. Baker asked her how much money she was giving him. When she told him it was $15,000, Dr. Baker said that wasn't enough. He wanted $50,000, or he would take his chances with E.J.

Nicole thought E.J. would be suspicious if she gave him that amount, but Dr. Baker told her the deal was off. He turned to leave, and Nicole ordered him not to walk away from her, but as she grabbed for him, he tumbled down the stairs. At the pier, E.J. showed up with two of his thugs and asked Victor why he wanted to see E.J. Victor said it was because he had Stefano.

At the Java Café, Mia was enamored with Grace, and Grace seemed to like Mia, too. Will noticed how smitten Mia was with his sister, and he thanked Mia for helping him appreciate having Grace as his baby sister. While they were talking, a girl who knew Mia showed up with one of Will's friends, and she seemed to know Mia had skeletons in her closet.

Mia told Will that he made it easier for her to adjust to being in a new school. Kinsey, a girl who went to Mia's old school, asked if Mia remembered her. Mia pretended not to remember her at first. When Mia remembered Kinsey's name, she introduced her to Will and Grace.

Kinsey made a joke at Mia's expense, so Mia excused herself to go to the bathroom. While she was gone, Kinsey told Will that Mia had been a popular girl, until she dropped out of school and never came back. Will asked why Mia left school, and Kinsey said she didn't know at first, but she speculated that Mia was a drug addict who went to rehab. Will's friend objected to her spreading such a vicious rumor, and Kinsey suggested Mia might even be bulimic.

Will grew angry at Kinsey for saying such mean things about Mia, even though she didn't know for sure why Mia dropped out of school. Will called Kinsey a bitch, and Kinsey accused Will of being in love. She said it wasn't normal for someone to drop out of school and not contact anyone unless there was a reason. Will said it was probably because Mia couldn't handle being around Kinsey all day. Kinsey said it wasn't her fault Will's girlfriend was a drug addict.

Will's friend convinced Kinsey to leave, and when Mia returned to the table, she wondered where the others went. Will avoided the question and started going over their studies. Mia noticed Will hadn't looked at her since Kinsey and his friend left. She wondered what they said about her, and Will told her Kinsey accused Mia of being a drug addict. He said that didn't sound like Mia, so he demanded to know the real reason she left. Mia lied to Will and said she was in rehab, and she assumed Will didn't want her around Grace, so she left.

Rafe took Sami into the woods and surprised her with a picnic under the stars. Rafe talked about how he discovered the spot when he was younger but said Sami was the only person he had brought there. They stargazed, and he said he wanted to be an astronaut as a kid until he realized what stiff competition there was. While she was confident he would have been selected, she was glad he didn't become an astronaut because they wouldn't have met, but Rafe felt like it was fate.

Sami heard a noise that scared her, and Rafe explained it was just fish jumping in the river. Sami wanted to see it, so she went up ahead while Rafe poured some more wine. He told her to be careful because the riverbank was slippery, and seconds later, he heard her scream and a splash, so Rafe ran to her rescue.

Rafe carried a soaking wet Sami back to their picnic area and wrapped a blanket around her while she took off her dress. Rafe thought their date turned out to be a disaster, but Sami didn't see it that way, and they started kissing. Rafe stopped her to tell her he wasn't trying to take advantage of her, and Sami said she knew he hadn't planned it, because he had no way of knowing she would fall in the river and besides, she said it felt right to take things to the next level.

Rafe and Sami kissed on their picnic blanket in the woods. Rafe pulled away, trying to explain that he hadn't intended to take advantage of her, but Sami interrupted. Smiling, she assured him that there was no way he could have known she would fall in the river and need to be rescued. "I know that this isn't what you planned," she added softly. "But it's right. It feels right to me."

As they began kissing again, suddenly a bright light shone in their eyes. "Restricted area," boomed an official-sounding voice. "You're under arrest."

Rafe covered Sami with a blanket as she put her dress back on, and then pulled on his own sweater. Laughing, they teased each other about getting busted on sacred land on their first date. Sami proclaimed that it had been a perfect first date, "Because it wasn't just romantic; it was unpredictable, and a heart-stopping adventure!" Rafe laughed, asserting that was how Sami liked things. Sami countered that he must, too, or he wouldn't be with her.

After the officer had gone, Rafe suggested that they cut their date short, since Sami must be uncomfortable in her wet clothes. Sami refused, declaring impishly that the best was yet to come.

Maggie found Will at the Java Café, where he was babysitting Grace, and praised him for how good he was with his little sister. Will shrugged, annoyed. He explained that his friend, who was supposed to be helping him with Grace, had bailed on him after some people from school had gossiped about her. Maggie offered to stay and help out, but Will declined, stating that he needed to get Grace home. Maggie helped pack up Grace's things, and then Will wheeled the child out in her stroller.

While Maggie fielded a business call, Mia returned to retrieve her sweater. Realizing that she must be Will's friend, Maggie spoke gently to the teen. "Sweetheart, feel free to tell me to mind my own business. But are you okay?" Mia thanked her, but insisted she was all right. Maggie introduced herself, and offered to buy hot chocolates for each of them. Again, Mia politely refused, maintaining that she wasn't good company.

Maggie persisted, her eyes twinkling warmly, and asserted that it might help Mia to talk about it. Mia reluctantly divulged that she'd allowed a friend to believe some malicious gossip about her, because it was better than the truth.

As Maggie returned with a tray of cookies and hot chocolate, she and Mia chatted about Maggie's grown daughters, whom Maggie confessed she missed very much. Maggie asked if Mia and her parents were close. Mia shrugged that they weren't the reason she had returned to town. "There's only one reason I'm still in Salem," Mia stated.

Sami and Rafe were still kissing as they returned to the townhouse, until they heard Grace crying, and turned to see Will holding the baby. Sami sheepishly explained her waterlogged appearance, "I fell in the river. It's a long story," and asked about Mia. Will simply said that Mia had something else to do, and handed Grace over to Sami.

Although Rafe easily made Grace giggle, Sami noted that the child didn't seem like she felt well. Sami took Grace's temperature and found that she had a fever. Will apologized, insisting that she'd seemed fine all evening. Sami assured him that Grace was probably just teething, but thought she should call the pediatrician anyway.

After Sami changed into some dry clothes, Will offered to go to the pharmacy to pick up Grace's prescription. Sami gratefully handed over some cash and the car keys, and sent Will on his way. She then observed with surprise that Rafe had managed to get Grace to fall asleep, and asked what his secret was. He replied that his little sister been very ticklish, and tickled Sami in the same spot. Giggling, she tried to squirm away, and soon they were kissing again.

Will returned to the Java Café while he waited for the prescription, and ran into Maggie again. She said she hoped Grace felt better soon, and wished Will a good night. As Will left a voicemail for Mia, urging her to call so they could talk about what had happened earlier, Mia emerged from the ladies' room. She quickly ducked out the front door before Will saw her.

Grace's coughing and crying kept interrupting Rafe and Sami's kissing, and when Will returned, he was surprised to find the two of them playing Scrabble. Will turned down their offer to join the game, however, and went to his room to finish his homework. Sami apologized to Rafe for everything that had gone wrong on their first date, since he'd gone to so much effort. As he removed her baseball cap to kiss her, he assured her that it was fine, because they had many more perfect nights ahead.

Under Philip's "Welcome Home" banner at the Kiriakis mansion, Stephanie reminded Philip that she'd put her life on the line for him, and therefore deserved to know what was going on. She knew by the way Philip and Victor were acting that they had a plan in the works, and demanded to know what it was. Philip tried to persuade her that they were simply taking care of their family-and her-but Stephanie wouldn't let it drop.

Philip confided with a sigh that he still felt guilty about Tony's death, even though he knew it had been an accident-but the DiMeras didn't see it that way. He maintained that what he and his father were doing was for the greater good. "Honestly, don't you think the world would be a better place without them?"

Stephanie was appalled. She argued that although she trusted Philip, she didn't trust people like his father, or the DiMeras, who were filled with hatred. She vowed that she would do whatever it took in order to protect Philip. Philip ordered her never to go near E.J. again, adding through clenched teeth, "If that son of a bitch ever laid a finger on you, I swear to God..." Stephanie finished his sentence, "You'd kill him?" But Philip wouldn't answer.

Suddenly Philip changed gears. He asked Stephanie to stay with him-and not just for the night. She assumed it was because he didn't think she was safe, but he declared that he loved her, and wanted to be with her all the time. Stephanie admitted that she had thought about living with Philip, but lately, she'd been a little preoccupied with other things. At last she agreed to move in. Philip kissed her happily, but as he held her close, she wondered how Victor would take the news. Philip assured her that Victor knew how important she was to Philip.

Philip then suggested that they celebrate both his recovery and her new home with some champagne. As Stephanie left to get some glasses, Philip made a quick phone call. "Is it done?" he asked. Just then Stephanie returned, unseen, and overheard. "Good," he replied with a smile. Stephanie tried to be casual as she asked what the phone call was about.

Philip playfully replied that he'd rather show her. He led Stephanie by the hand out to the terrace, where they found an employee, Owen, setting up a romantic table for two. Stephanie was blown away, and realized that the phone call she'd overheard had been Philip calling Owen. She kissed Philip gratefully.

Once they were seated, Philip raised his glass to Stephanie. He declared that he liked the person he was with her, adding that she'd stood by him, even when she hadn't approved of his actions or words. Stephanie assured him that she wasn't going anywhere. Philip rose and walked around to her side of the table, praising her kindness and beauty.

When Philip removed a ring from his pocket and knelt beside Stephanie, her eyes filled with tears. "Stephanie Johnson," he began, softly stroking her hair, "will you do me the honor of being my wife." She laughed, the tears spilling onto her cheeks, and cried, "Yes. Yes!" Philip kissed her, and then slipped the ring onto her finger.

On the docks, while their respective henchmen stood at the ready, Victor informed E.J. that he had Stefano. E.J. didn't buy it, so Victor produced Stefano's pinky ring. Angrily snatching the ring away from Victor, E.J. demanded to know where Stefano was. Victor smirked. "The Phoenix is not going to rise from the ashes-not this time."

E.J. asked what Victor wanted from him. Victor replied that he'd take E.J. to Stefano, but first E.J. had to get rid of his guards. He gave his word that E.J. would be safe. E.J. laughed scornfully about how little Victor's word meant. With a little nonsense about diplomacy and family loyalty, Victor was able to convince E.J. that it was his only option. E.J. signaled to his thugs to leave.

Once E.J.'s men were out of sight, one of Victor's goons grabbed E.J. by each arm. Victor explained that E.J. must be blindfolded before he was taken to Stefano, but afterwards he'd be returned to the docks. Victor then took E.J.'s cell phone away, and the guards then led a struggling E.J. up the stairs.

Soon, the henchmen shoved E.J. into a small, dark room, and locked the door behind him. He yanked off the stocking cap that covered his face, and looked around, dazed. "Where's my father?" he muttered. "Where am I?" At last he found a light switch. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he turned to find a metal-framed bed, with a sheet covering what appeared to be a body on top of it.

Dr. Baker followed Nicole up the staircase at the DiMera mansion, demanding that she pay him $50,000, or he would take his chances with E.J. Nicole insisted she couldn't get her hands on that kind of cash without arousing suspicion. Dr. Baker declared that the deal was off, and turned to walk back down the stairs. Nicole grabbed his shoulder, ordering him not to walk away from her, but suddenly Dr. Baker lost his balance and fell, end-over-end, and landed with a sickening thud at the bottom of the stairs.

Horrified, Nicole called out his name as ran after him, and knelt beside him on the foyer rug. She checked his wrist for a pulse, and gasped, "Oh my God, did I kill you?" She tried to convince herself that it had been an accident, then wondered if Baker had any evidence of the baby switch-and if so, where he might have hidden it. She gingerly patted his pockets, at last finding his keys in his pants pocket, but as she removed them, Dr. Baker suddenly grabbed her by the arm. Nicole struggled to free herself while Baker seemed about to awaken, but he quickly collapsed again with a groan.

Hearing Sydney cry, Nicole was headed back up the stairs, clearly torn about whether to leave Dr. Baker lying there, when Mary emerged from the back of the house. "Dear God!" Mary exclaimed, rushing over as Nicole cried, "Call an ambulance!" Nicole quickly explained that Dr. Baker had fallen and wasn't breathing. Ever efficient, Mary began doing chest compressions as she ordered Nicole to give the doctor mouth-to-mouth. Nicole hesitated before squeamishly pinching Baker's nose closed and lowering her lips toward his.

The paramedics arrived shortly, and while they tended to Dr. Baker, Nicole gave her statement to a police officer. She explained that Dr. Baker must have tripped, because, "One minute he was on the stairs; the next minute he was on the floor." When the cop asked if there were any witnesses, Mary spoke up, confirming that what Nicole said was true.

Nicole clarified for the officer that Dr. Baker had stopped by to check on her daughter. "I just pray to God that he makes it," she added. As the paramedics wheeled Dr. Baker out on a gurney, Nicole asked how he was. An EMT replied, "The CPR might have broken a rib, but it saved his life."

At the hospital later, a doctor advised Nicole that Dr. Baker hadn't regained consciousness yet. He was worried that Baker might suffer some memory loss as a result. Nicole feigned concern. She then left a message about Dr. Baker's accident for E.J., annoyed that he wasn't answering his phone.

When the doctor informed her that Dr. Baker was stable, Nicole tiptoed into his room. Baker's eyes opened, and, seeing her at the foot of his bed, he groggily asked where he was. "You had an accident," Nicole began. "Accident?" Dr. Baker mumbled. "You tried to kill me, bitch!"